The man with the alien parasite is dead; Duffin and Lee cannot understand it. They are interrupted by another man who warns them that Security is coming.

Now that Corwin is a full Lieutenant, Sheridan feels that he could be a potential problem in their plans to oppose President Morgan Clark. He orders Ivanova to talk with Corwin one-on-one and see where he stands and whether or not he could be of use to them.

Marcus Cole visits one of his contacts, Duncan. They talk, and Cole notices he is ill and recommends seeing someone. Duncan refuses since he does not trust doctors. At a medical briefing, Dr. Stephen Franklin learns about the man's death from earlier. There is no clear cause of death. Franklin orders the body moved to Medlab 1.

Cole meets with some of his contacts and learns some news. Ranger One wants the Rangers to pull back from Earth space due to escalating tensions, while Shadow Vessels have been cited defining a border near Centauri space. Marcus is also expecting a package and learns that it just left Mars. Cole is also worried about Samuel not being present and decides to pay him a visit.

Dr. Franklin begins his examination of the dead body. He discovers and anomaly wrapped around the spinal cord and prepares for surgery. Cole finds Samuel with a group of people. Samuel tells him that he cannot work with him anymore but is evasive. Sensing something amiss, Marcus leaves him for now. During surgery, Franklin finds a living biomass and takes it for study. Samuel and his friends watch over a new victim to the parasite – Cole's friend, Duncan.

Franklin discovers that the biomass is a parasite and begins investigating where it came from. Cole goes to see Duncan only to find out that Duncan has moved on, telling another trader that he was packing it in. Cole is confused at Duncan's choice.

In C&C, Ivanova invites Corwin to a private meeting to talk about Sheridan's concerns. She invites him to her quarters for coffee.

Cole talks with Michael Garibaldi about Samuel and Duncan abruptly changing, believing that something bigger is at work. Garibaldi doesn't see it, since people move on all the time and no actual crime has been committed. Using Garibaldi's words that if Cole's friends are actually strange they should see a doctor, Cole goes to Franklin and enlists his help.

Corwin is unsure about Ivanova's invitation thinking it might be a date. He purchases artificial roses from a trader.

Cole and Franklin go to Duncan's quarters. He does not respond, and Franklin uses his emergency override to open the door. Inside, they find a hole in the wall that leads into a space where another man is suffering. Franklin tries to call for aid, but they are confronted by Samuel and Matthew holding weapons.

Franklin surmises that the parasites are taking over people, and worries that they could be a threat to the station. They talk with the people but get no answers. Franklin is at least reassured that Garibaldi knows where they are and will come looking until Cole reveals that is not exactly the case.

Corwin arrives at Ivanova's quarters. When she reacts to the flowers, Corwin claims to have found them outside.

Duncan visits Cole and Franklin, trying to recruit them. He reveals the parasites are the Vindrizi and they are trying to save lives. The dead man was unsuitable for the merging due to chemicals in his bloodstream. Duncan asks for their help.

Ivanova and Corwin talk about ends justifying the means, and respecting the chain of command. His answers to her show that he is loyal to the Earth Alliance, and potentially not a good fit for their coming sedition.

Cole asks Franklin about his thoughts on Ivanova. Cole is worried that he has done something that has offended her since she was initially friendly to him but has cooled recently. Franklin believes it is because he is growing closer to the command crew and then laughs at the absurdity of discussing this while prisoners. Matthew arrives and takes Franklin as one of their number is sick. Franklin tells them to take the parasite out of him, but they refuse and tell him to cure both of them.

Cole manages to escape from his captors, and tries to use Franklin's link to contact Security. However, since he is not authorized, the link refuses to work for him. In CinC, Ivanova receives notification of the attempted use and contacts Garibaldi. Garibaldi dispatches a team to Brown 84.

Cole rescues Franklin and finds out from Duncan that each member volunteered to bond with the Vindrizi. The Vindrizi were created to be living records of history and require willing hosts to preserve their knowledge of the galaxy's history. To convince them, the parasite separates from Duncan so that Cole will believe the truth since it comes only from him.

Franklin promises to help them under certain conditions which the Vindrizi agree to. Duncan however, cannot be rebonded with a Vindrizi since it would damage him too much. Cole is sorry for his friend.

Ivanova reports to Sheridan that Corwin is unsuitable to join their endeavour. In the docking bay, Cole catches up to Duncan who is leaving the station. Duncan's experience with the Vindrizi has imbued him with a sense of wanting to be special, and he has decided to try and find some of the sights the Vindrizi showed him in person.

Franklin talks about the Vindrizi with Garibaldi and Ivanova. Franklin also reveals that Cole would like a second chance with Ivanova. Believing that Cole sent her the flowers, she takes them back to him. Cole, however, believes it is a gesture on her part.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Garibaldi, one of the leading minds of the fourteenth century. Have we no workhouses? Have we no prisons? Mr. Marley here'd like a word with you. He's the fellow in the chains. Ignore the moans. It's just gas."